Safety controlling mechanism for electrically-propelled vehicles.



- H. B. GREIG. SAFETY CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELECTBIOALLY PROFELLED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4. I9I5 Patented Feb. 15,1916.

H HRIRY Ig GR ElG-q:

a Q, merg s; or cation, OHIO.

1 ATE T cre r 2 serene coNTnoLLineMEoHAn sM FOR ELECTRICALLY-PEOPELLED vnmcnns.

8T0allwhomitmai concern 1 f u sBeyit known that-"Ll- Annir B. GREIG, a citizen of .tl eUnited States,- residing at p .l i Y Gunman the county"oftUrawford and State of Ohio; have invented certain new and usefulriImprovementsSin Safety Controlling 'lvlechfa nism for Electrically-Propelled Yea specifi hi'cles,ofwwhich the following is cation. u I 4 i i 10;- This invention: comprehends certain new and useful iniprovements in lneans for coni trolling electrically propelled vehicles, and

relates particularly to an improved foot pedal latch orsafety device to be used on electricalvehicles of the conunercial 'orindustrial type, although I it is to be under-l stoodflthat the invention is'not limitedto j suchiapplicationr I ,Tliewinvention lia'sforits primary object a, nofvel and useful inechanism'for controlthe vehicle lHWlllGlL the appliance' is used mayxat alljtiincshavea positiveand absolute control of his machine, so that liability of an accident wi-ll be reduced to a minimum. i v further object of the invention is a safetyclidevice or: apparatus of this character therfootpedal,meansbeing provided whereby thescircuit 'Wlll be -instantly=opened imandthe parts'being further arrangedso that it illibezimpossiblefor the opei-atortosubi 1' briligllnf-lli8 motor icontroldever back to the i ;neutralyposition. v v The mve'ntlon r also aims to provide a ,safety controlling mechamsrnof "this "character einbodying thefoot; pedal hereinbefore I mentioned,l said pedal 'rbeing 'rso arranged in f correlation to Qtheri Q y operatoris"footythe brakesof the vehicle will f-thatcywhen' the pedal is positiontand' al'so automatically movedto an operative position or applied, when the foot pedal is released :to "open the electrical circuit; the *-parts-='bei;ig further arranged in suchyajma-nner that by holding the foot v pedalatancintermediate posit-ion; the brakes l ,thefoot pe al to such intermediate position,

Specification of Letters Patent.

-lingian electrically propelled vehicle, so con i structedandarranged'that" theoperator ot so arrangedft hatthe motor circuit will be a v as the operators footvaisipressed down upon ediately upon this pressure being removed,

it i will be released and the vehicle allowed to i [5 coastabut subsequently, that isyafter moving a Patented Feb.15,1916. j a Application filed ma itisis. Serial at. 28,127,

the electric power cannot be subsequently lVith these and other objects in view, as i will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements, and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter more fully describeand claim.

For a full understanding of the invention,

reference is to be had to the following 'de scription and accompanying drawings in which the invention is shown as embodied for use aroundydocks, railway stations and the like, and of the type in the use of which the operatoif stands upon a platform or ledge at the end of the truck, although it to'he understood that the invention is not limited to thistype of vehicle, but is app'li cable to electrically propelled vehicles or trucks generally, although especially designed for electrical, COIIIHlBI'ClHl'Ql' indus trial vehicles or trucks, r

In the drawingszwl ignre'1 is a sideeleation of a portion of a loaded baggage truck embodying the improvements of my W invention, Fig. Qis an enlarged s de elev'a-' tion with: parts in section, the bell-cr nk designed to operate the brakes, being shown at right angles to its true positionfor the purin an electrically propelled baggage truck pose of illustration, and Fig. 3 is a detail] View pa-rtlyin'section, of the latch, and the disklcarried' by the controller shaft, with y'which the latch: co-acts, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Corresponding and like parts are referred "to in the following description and desig' hated in all of the iews of the: accompanying drawings by like reference characters. a

"In the accompanying drawings, only so I much of the vehicle is shown as is necessary to obtain a full understanding of the fear,

t-ures that comprise my present invention, A.

upon which the operator stands, and C the E designates the motor controller handle provided with a spring pressed latch e desteering ifheel designed to operate through the instrumentality of the chain I). n

designating the bed or body portion of the y 1 vehicle, 13' the platform at one end thereof vertically disposed sector 6 that is mounted upon the bracket, F, and "G. designates the link rod which is pivotally connected at its upper end to the bell crank arm of the lever or'jha'ndle E and at its lower end to the lever; H'operatively connected means not shown) to the motor controller. In the present embodiment of the' invention, the parts are so arranged that. when the handle E is in an upright position, the controller is at neutral.

In carrying out my invention, a disk 1 is secured to one end of the controller. shaft 2, said disk, as clearlgjillustrated in Fig. 2,

being formed at one point with a recess 3 extending from the'outer edge or margin thereof inwardly and having an inwardly inclined wall 4, as best illustrated in l ig.

3, which opens at its high or inner end upon a flat annular surface 4 surrounding the hub of the disk. The disk 1 is further providedin its outer face with an annular groove 5 which surrounds the fiat bearing Preferably the inner wallof the groove- 5 which separates it from the fiat bearing surface 4-, is comparatively abrupt, as ind cated at 7, while the outer edge or wall of said groove is beveled or inclinedradially,

sindicated at 8.

C'ii aeting with the disk 1 is a foot pedal 9. 'lhi'siif'is pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends upon'a shaft 10, and oneend projects out over the platform B whereby it "will be within convenient reach of the operators foot, while the other end projects inwardly toward the controller through,

an opening 1.1 formed in a backing plate 12 and is provided at its inner end with a spring-pressed latch 13in the form of a pin having a substantially flat end adapted to bear against the disk 1. it is to be particularly noted that the latch 1.3 can only' pass the edge of the disk 1 by moving through the inclined recess 3 so as to reach the flat bearing surface 4, and thatwhen the recess 3 is in registry with the latch 13,

then the control lover or handle is at neutral.

A switchlever 14 is also carried by theshaft l fit and extends downwardly therefrom, said switch lever being movable and upon the movement of the being operatively connected to a switch rod 15 so as to open andclose the switch within the box 16. In the full-line po sition pt' the parts shown in Fig. 2, the

fiim wit 1-is shown as engaged whereby the 7 of the groove wallsof' the recess 3 which they pedal 9 and motor circuit is closed, and in dotted lines thepositioh ofthe switch is indicatedas 4 dis-engaged, whereby the' anotor circuitis opened. Also opcratively connected to the foot pedal 9 is a bell-crank 17, this connection in the present instance consisting of a link rod 18, said bell crank being'operatively connected to the brakes (not shown),

and springs being employed (the saine being also omitted as unnecessary to-a full disclosure of this invention), whereby when the foot pedal be automatically set, and when the foot pedal is pressed down l y the 'foot ot l tlie operator, the bell-crank' will be rocked to his released, the brakes will the full-line position illustrated in Fig.2,

and the brakes released against the tension of the springs.

and held released In describing the practical operation of an electrically propelled vehicle equipped w th the Improvements of my invention, '1 will assume in the first place, that the vehicl'e is at a standstill, the'foot pedal being" Ill the dotted-line position illustrated in Fig. 2, and the brakes'being, therefore, set.

In order to start the vehicle and before the" brakes can be released, it is necessary that the operator move the controller handle 'td the'neutral position so as to bring the re s 3 in registry with the latch 13, whereupon the operator \Vlll press his foot downwa rd upon the tor circuit, while at the, same timethc latch" 0 will have moved inwardly through the" pedal 9, which will release the brakes and simultaneously close the mo recess 3 so as to rest upon the bearing sur face 4, then as is manifest" the operator can move' the controllerha'ndle In either Way according to the direction it is deslredthe' vehicle slialltake, the end of'the latch 13" sliding over'the smooth flat surface 4. When ltis desired to bring the vehicleto a stantlstill, it is only necessary for the operator to remove his foot from the pedal 0 .w'herc upon the switch will be instantly moved in. a direction what the position of the mtroller might be at that time,,and the brakes'will be in- 1 stantly set; and,

be impossible fol the circuit and 'elease the brakes until the it will be particularly borne l in mind in this clonnectlon, thereafter it Wlll the operator to again close to open th'e eircuit, no matter" controller shall' e been moved back to w neutral so as to ing tln with the latch J3. 1

Should the o'erator de. to allowthe vehicle to coast .l :cuttmg otl 'the. not applying the Brakes,'he can easily-do so I by allowing thesfi edal 9'to rise to'an intermediate positioiiligo as to allow the latch '13 to move into thieygroove 5, this movement" being capable tqfiiyjioperatidn with the con-i trollcr at any sition, it being, ofcourse,

understood that 'sjo long'as the latch '13 is in registry with and mounted in the groove power but $1 s ur 1518 i a itl iemotor circuit will be opened but the 1 2. I n an-i electrically propelled vehicle, a

'l i 11 let be set Then, if it again inotorocontrol-ler, a; pedah a circuit controlapply the powerfbefore, setting ling switclrand brake actuating means opand; bringing the vehiclefto a erahleh; the,pe,dal,- a spring-presscd latch only; necessaryto more the carried by thepedaland a disk carried by randleback toqnen'tral position, the controller sliafi,;-,said disk being formed wlnchfwillcause the latch 13 to ride over i with-a fiatfbearing surface, with a beveled nrsurfaces (linto therecess 3 so that recess leading fromuitsvouter edge inwardly I heoperatorcanJfnlly depress the pedaland to said surface and designed to register with b ng l;elatch-hacll again .to theflat bearthe datch when the controller is in neutral 1 a sur acel, whiclrmovement of -the pedal 'POSUZIOH, and with a curved groove concenwill obviously close the Cll'CllllZ ilIld at the tI'IO to and siu'noundmg the flat bearing same (time.permitktheco'ntroller handleto surface anch oppingon eachside of said be mored as desired so as -to control the recess,

ltis' t obe particularly n5ted Qee Fig.2), thattheswitch rods 15 'have-tiv \nuts l5' ling switch and brakeactuatingineans opand 'lo i:inountedthereon,these nutEbe Xg erable by the pedal, aspring-pressed latch arranged 111 spacedrelationv to each othe carried by the pedal, and a disk carried by i le\e w1lis allowedPsome play or lost motion, wltha flat bearing surface, with av beveled vhercbi yshouldthe o erator ralselns foot recess leading from its outer edge inwardlyslight Bythisarrangement'ofthe parts, the switch the controller shaft, said disk being formed and let the pedal-9 rise a short dis- 1 to said surface and designed to register with taiiee iscforexamplefin going over rough the latch when-the controller is in neutral roads,'the; connection w onld nothethereby i position, and with a. curved groove concen- "hrokenJnntil"tlie1'le\e1'=fl14 strikes the nut trio to amlsurroumling the flat hearing sur- 15" an ilhnvs theclateh to 'drop into faceand stopping on each side of said reth" *groo eCor recess 5. Thus, all accidental ccss, the inner wall of said groove hemp; ab-

makingr ndhrcaking of the electrical con rupt and the outer wall being inclined toi lcctioii is avoided and the liahility of burn ard the edge of the disk. inge thlvcontactsprecludedr V 4.11) an electrically propelled vehicle,'a It willfthiis heseenthatI have provided lllOtQF controller, a pedal, brake actuating *ellicientsafety apparatus forcontrol means, a circuit controlling switch oper- *lin;,r,clect prm'ielled vehicles, and that may connected to said pedal, a latch eariotanapparatusof this character l'ied by said pedal, and a disk carried by the thaw-memorycivilllat all ncs*l1ave;complete cmitroller shaft, said disk being, 'foi med with mama itire control oflu machine: a flat hearing surface, with a beveled redess \Vfliilciltlicacconipanyingdrawings illusleading from its outer edge to said surface tratdwhaflhelieifgtohe lheprefiu'redemy and designed to. register with Said latch hodi ncutfofmyinvcntiongit is to heunderwhen the controller is in neutral position, stootltliat the invention not limited thereand with a curved groove surrounding and to jhi'it"tlnitwarions changesfmay*he made 'om-eutric to. said bearing surface, the inner inth c construction, arrangements and prowall of said groove heingahrupt and' the p ed and"direction o fmovement. 3; In an electrically propelled vehicle, a motor controllerga pedal, a circu t control- Is: i i 1L "ln zan clwlricalljvpropelledvehicle;a inoloc'ooulroller, 'hrakc actuating"means,a

leans tending-id inove the, pedallo IjillfilKhlKlSlllUll, a circuit controlling switch? lopcrali lualinl; neans.lhcsaid \ijiiilllfifllkllllbpctlnl arranged in rclcasethc akcls and close. the circuit hr and upim th nore ucnl. of. the pedal lo depress-ml 1) i vu'n r diskcarricd hv lhca-onlrollcr shalt and lllllllcil with a, Hat hearing; sun-hue aud a herclcd "recess h-ading lhcrclo. and a spriiigr prc'sscdylatch carried by the uulal alnlinorahle through saiihrc css jonlo saidwhcaring surface; the disk hciii 'disposcd on theslial'till such po sitiou um said recess\villrcgisicr wiih the latch whenthciconlrollcr'is in neutral position.

.= r i i i ",connccl Ions lichyccn the brake acporl msf-ol'ylln parts without departing outer wall being: inclined toward the edge l'roi no scopcot tluyiurcntion as deliucd in oi the disk. the ends 01' said groove ternnfrom th ends of thc groove to the side walls of the recess.

5. In an electrically propelled vehicle, a,

motor controller, hrake actuating' means including a lltll-t'l'llllh, a circuit controlling switch, a pedal. pivotally supported intermediate of its ends and having! a link connection with one arnr of said, hell-crank, a switch lcrcr opcralivclr connected to said swilchainl inorahlc hy the pedal. a springpressed latclrcarricd Irv the inner end of the pedal. and a disk carried by the controller shal'tisaid disk hcing' forn'icd around said shal'twilh a "at hearing surface and lacing also formed with an inclined recess leading from its outer edge to said surface and adapted to register with thclatch when the motor controller is in neutral position, the disk being further formed with a curved groove surrounding and concentric to said fiat surface and terminating on opposite 5 sides of said recess, the ends of'the groove terminating in circumferentially inclined cam surfaces terminating at their-highest "points in the side walls of the recess.

'6. In an'electrically propelled vehicle, a' 10 motor controller, a circuit controlling switch including a switch rod, a pedal, a switch lever operable by the pedal, nl'its disposed in spaced relation to each other on the switch rod and the switch lover having play between said nuts and adapted to cmthe previous movomcnt of the motor controller to neutral'position. i q I In testimony whereof I ullix my signature in presence of two witnesses v HARRY Bl GREIG. \Vitn'cssesr l GARDA Homucs, FRANK -B. S'rmsox. 

